Pavlova is a dessert so light and tasty, it soars • by By Julia M. Usher Photo by Steve Adams Studio, food styling by Julia M. Usher
Posted On: 09/01/2007 E-mail This To A Friend!

By the mid-1920s, Russian prima ballerina Anna Pavlova had become the equivalent of a modern-day superstar. It was said of her widely recognized talents, "She does not dance, she soars as though on wings."

How apropos that another fan (an Australian chef or perhaps a New Zealander) should, in 1933, invent the world's most airy dessert and name it after her. Though the facts of origin are fuzzy, history is clear on a key point: the inventor of Pavlova -- whomever that might be -- raised the dessert bar to lofty heights.

A feathery mattress of meringue, laid with whipped cream, berries and often kiwi fruit, Pavlova is at once crunchy and soft, sweet and tart. This tantalizing dance of texture and flavor can be choreographed in 30 minutes or less, and, if served without the cream, it is one of few truly delicious no-fat desserts around.

While the cream and fruit are the icing, the meringue "cake" is what makes this dessert rise above the rest. And what matters here is the classification of hard versus soft. In contrast to the soft meringue typically used to top pies and puddings, a hard meringue -- what's used in Pavlova and other decorative meringue shells -- contains a relatively high proportion of sugar to egg whites, generally 4 tablespoons to every white. Hard meringue is also dried in a 225- to 250-degree oven for one to two hours, not quickly browned under the broiler as in the soft case. Extended cooking at low temperatures sets the meringue shape while minimizing the cracking that often accompanies higher temperatures. It is also responsible for Pavlova's uniquely crisp crust and marshmallowy interior.

Along with egg whites and sugar, a hard meringue usually contains small quantities of cornstarch and acid in the form of cream of tartar, vinegar or lemon juice. Each of the four primary ingredients -- even those used in trace amounts -- plays a leading role in the look, texture and stability of the meringue.

While authoritative sources insist that room-temperature whites beat to a larger volume than those directly from the fridge, I've never been able to detect a measurable difference in height. The far better rationale for using lukewarm whites is that they help to dissolve the sugar. If the sugar granules fail to completely disappear by baking time, they will melt in the oven, blemishing the meringue with unsightly pores. For this same reason, it is important to use more finely ground, and quick-dissolving, superfine rather than granulated sugar. After it's added, you must also beat longer than you might think -- five or more minutes, or until a smear between your fingertips hasn't the slightest trace of grit.

Because sugar is hygroscopic (it attracts moisture from the environment) and the sugar content of meringue is quite high, Pavlova is prone to getting soft or weeping if made or stored in anything other than bone-dry conditions. A tablespoon of cornstarch (for every four whites) has a drying effect and will
prolong the dessert's shelf life. Even so, in our muggy St. Louis climate, it's always a good idea to bake only on days where the relative humidity hasn't risen past 65 to 70 percent. When weather-workarounds are impossible, you can always redry the meringue in a slow oven if it gets tacky.

Though least of the ingredients, the acid should never be taken for granted. Small amounts create a stiff, stable meringue by accelerating the unraveling of egg proteins as they're beaten. Once unwound, these proteins reconfigure into a new molecular structure that better supports the air bubbles to which meringue owes its volume. More support means that the bubbles are less likely to deflate before the surrounding egg proteins coagulate in the heat of the oven, or in laymen's terms: The meringue stays fluffy longer, so you needn't hustle as quickly to get it baked.

Understanding the role of the various ingredients is clearly important, yet without a grasp of certain techniques, you -- and your Pavlova -- could still fall flat. Whatever comes in contact with the egg whites, be it bowl or utensils, must be perfectly clean, without a smidge of fat. Barely perceptible quantities of egg yolk, for instance, will cause the meringue to immediately collapse. For maximum volume, add the sugar one tablespoon at a time rather than in one sudden -- and heavy -- swoop. And, as the coda to this culinary performance, always cool slowly in the oven. An abrupt temperature drop can cause rapid condensation of trapped steam followed by deep cracks.

Pirouettes and arabesques may be out of reach, but making my Lemon Pavlova is one dance you won't want to sit out.

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